So going off of what was just being discussed in Solo Gaming, I have a friend, and we've been working on a solo Dnd game. Basically we are playing Eberron, and he said he wanted to try out an all spell caster team, which i said yes to (and I know I'm going to regret that decision). I want to explore the "magic as science" subtext of Eberron, as that is what drew me to the setting in the first place. I had two ideas at once, and it kills me. Basically I really like this Eberron Ocean thing Keith Baker did, and I thought it would be very cool to explore the under sea of Eberron, with a magic powered submarine. Takes me back to my Jules Verne reading days when I was a teenager. But then we figured out that the Shifter is too powerful or to weak for pathfinder, so he asked to be a warforged druid.

So I have a quick question.

Would a scholarly, "scientific" druid be possible? We both agreed that there would be a heavily magic reliant city under the ocean that gathers important resources from the bottom of the ocean. It's been there for a century or so, somewhere around the dawn of the Last War. Since there all spellcasters, there going to be a team of Researchers working down in this city. Basically there all scientists since magic is science in this setting. Question is, can a Druid be a naturilist, rather than a magical hippie?

* You meet the New Age Retro Hippie* The New Age Retro Hippie lost his temper!* The New Age Retro Hippie's offense went up by 1!* Ness attacks!SMAAAASH!!* 87 HP of damage to the New Age Retro Hippie!* The New Age Retro Hippie turned back to normal!YOU WON!* Ness gained 160 xp.

I don't see what would stop a druid from being a naturalist as opposed to a "magical hippie," as you put it. IIRC, there's nothing codified into the mechanics of the druid that mechanically enforces them as being tree hugging nature-loving city-haters. Change around the fluff a bit and you've got your magical marine biologist. Maybe the animal companion is a product of experimentation with various spells to create a semi-Awakened beast that's loyal to the druid.

Weave

I don't see what would stop a druid from being a naturalist as opposed to a "magical hippie," as you put it. IIRC, there's nothing codified into the mechanics of the druid that mechanically enforces them as being tree hugging nature-loving city-haters. Change around the fluff a bit and you've got your magical marine biologist. Maybe the animal companion is a product of experimentation with various spells to create a semi-Awakened beast that's loyal to the druid.

Ghostman

My immediate impression is "magical marine biologist".

And that's exactly how it turned out. It was a pretty awesome first adventure.

So our first session went over well. He played 2 warforged (one druid, one artificer), and a Daelkyr Half Blood Magus. They started the adventure exploring down at the bottom of the ocean in a strange wide cavern. There was a giant mysterious ancient heiroglyph at the bottom of the cavern, but there was also a giant electrified catfish at the bottom of the Cavern as well, and it made a nest. So the first part of the adventure was gathering data, and running away from certain death, which they succeeded, and returning to Bermie, a sentient water ship brought to life by magic. They return to Aqualis, the city under the sea, and return with their findings. They receive 200 gold each for the data they collected from the head of Magical Affairs in the city Howl d'Cannith (for the record someone who was watching us play overheard us, and asked if it was a moving castle with Howl... Couldn't resist). We chose to end it right there.

Right now we have some details filled out with Aqualis. Theres two government buildings so far. City council dwells within a giant coral structure, while Ministry of Magic is in a castle with magical booby traps everywhere. There's a great market place around town, and there's a weird giant fish in the middle of town, that is hooked up to a bunch of giant glass vats with blue and green liquids. No one knows how it survives on land... Outside of the city there is also a grand coral forest teaming with life.

* You meet the New Age Retro Hippie* The New Age Retro Hippie lost his temper!* The New Age Retro Hippie's offense went up by 1!* Ness attacks!SMAAAASH!!* 87 HP of damage to the New Age Retro Hippie!* The New Age Retro Hippie turned back to normal!YOU WON!* Ness gained 160 xp.